Salviation for Ash
by Pete the Rock
Summary: BootlegPearlShipper. What if Ash wasn't around when Dawn and Princess Salvia switched roles and was preoccupied with training his Gible?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon  
>Summary: What if Ash wasn't around when Dawn and Princess Salvia switched roles and was preoccupied with training his Gible?<br>Shipping: BootlegPearlShipper

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><p><em><strong>Salvia-tion for Ash<strong>_

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><p>Ash, Dawn, Brock and their Pokémon friends were in Arrowroot Town and wouldn't you know it, a Pokémon Contest was in town. This would be Dawn's next bout...if Dawn hadn't already won her five Contest Ribbons. "The Pokémon Contest is here in Arrowroot," she stated the obvious. Still to Ash, it's a good warmup for the upcoming Grand Festival.<p>

"What do you think, Dawn?" he eagerly badgered. "A nice practice round before competing in the Grand Festival couldn't hurt." A nice gesture but Dawn wanted to pass it up.

"Nah, I'll watch. I wanna see who else earns their fifth ribbon. It's easier to know some of my competition that way." Interesting point. Ash shrugged his shoulder, not wanting to argue his point further. If Dawn didn't want to participate, why fight about it?

"Okay. I'm just concerned that you could get rusty before the first round." Well, nothing compiles a counterpoint than another counterpoint. "If you guys don't mind, I'm gonna practice for my eighth Gym Badge. What do you say, Pikachu?" Pikachu wove his paw, denying Ash's offer.

("I think I'll join Dawn with watching,") he squeaked. Ash was a bit startled. Pikachu wanted to watch with Brock and Dawn instead of helping his partner in crime-fighting? Get it? They're not criminals but do take them down.

"You sure, buddy?" Pikachu was confident in just watching the contest, thinking that if Team Rocket was still after Ash for him, he'd be inside and safe. "Okay. I'm not gonna convince you to help me if that's your choice." Further proving to be watching, Pikachu leaped from Ash's shoulder onto Brock's.

"I'll make sure Pikachu's safe," he promised Ash. Ash nodded before walking off to practice. It was at that time someone approached the other two. It was a violet-haired young woman in a maroon dress.

"Excuse me," she called to the others. Brock, Dawn and Pikachu turned to see the woman who looked gorgeous...to Brock's eyes. "Is your name Dawn by any chance?" Dawn was perplexed. How did she know her name? A fan?

"Y-yeah..." she stuttered. The woman was pleased to know she found her and turned to Brock to further confirm her suspicions.

"Then you must be Brock." Instead of having the same reaction, Brock gripped her hands under his with hearts for eyes.

"I am but I'm more known as the breeder of romance and with a lovely figure as yours," he flirted. "I'm paralyzed in love with you!" Tell that to his Croagunk...and his Poison Jab right to the sternum! Brock lost his grip...and any body control and crumpled at the effects of the attack. Pikachu hopped off and onto Dawn's head. "Now...I'm...paralyzed...in...Croagunk's...power!" Down, Croagunk dragged Brock away. You saw nothing! Let's continue!

"Anyway, I come to pick you up on request by the princess. By the way, wasn't there someone else who was suppose to be traveling with you?" She had to mean Ash. Dawn was quick to answer.

"Yeah, but Ash is off training for his last Gym Badge," she explained. The woman was a bit saddened but it wasn't too big of a deal.

"I see. Well, my name is Freesia. I come on behalf of the Arrowroot Town Contest's Goodwill Ambassador. Follow me." Not left with much of a choice, Dawn, with Pikachu on her crown and Piplup in her arms, followed with Brock quickly recovering and pursuing the two ladies. Some ways away, Ash was with Gible, Torterra and Infernape in a clearing close by. Ash and the bigger of the three Pokémon watched Gible.

"Okay, Gible," he encouraged. "Let's see if we can perfect that Draco Meteor." Gible looked ready to perform. "Torterra, in case Draco Meteor fails, you can try and knock it down with Energy Ball. And Infernape, if Torterra fails, you can use Mach Punch." Torterra and Infernape were ready to help out. "Okay, Gible. Let's build up that energy." Gible started to concentrate, centering an orange glow within the small body. The glow brightened. To Ash, it was promising. "Now!" That's when an orange orb emerged from Gible's giant mouth. Finally, he spat out the orb high in the sky. Higher and higher it traveled. "Looking good!" Finally, it couldn't go any higher. The moment of truth. POOF! The orb popped instead of boomed. Two orbs began to fall. Reacting, Torterra powered a green orb from the mouth and shot it into the sky. KABANG! Direct hit. That orb was snuffed. Infernape didn't wait for Torterra to reload and jumped for the last orb with a glowing fist. THWACK! The orb was bashed away. It was another botched attempt. Ash did take some solace with that try. "Well, at least more than one Meteor this time. That was a pretty good attempt, Gible." Gible replied by leaping onto Ash and gnawing on his head. Ash understood Gible's excitement and huffed a chuckle to mask the pain.

"There you've been, Ash!" shouted someone...rather formally. Ash, Infernape and Torterra turned to- Oh, it's Dawn! Wait...was that really her? Ash didn't really notice.

"Dawn, what's up? Why aren't you in the arena?" It did seem a little out of line unless...

"Well, I...thought about your proposal to enter the Pokémon Contest. I want to participate in it." Well, it seemed that Ash's convincing worked. Hold on... Proposal? It sounded more of like a suggestion. Regardless, Ash was rather happy about...now he got suspicious. Her voice.

"Are you alright, Dawn? Your voice is a little..."

"No need to worry about my voice." That convinced him. Only Dawn could say that.

"Okay. But why are you telling me what you have in mind? If you wanna do it, go ahead." Hey, Ash! Don't be so harsh!

"I wanted to practice with you beforehand. Beside, there's still an hour before the contest is officially underway." Good point. Satisfied, Ash was willing to help out.

"Hey, of course!" That's when something clicked for Ash. Brock wasn't around and Piplup too. "Hold on! Where's Piplup...and Brock?" Dawn was starting to feel the heat from Ash. However, Gible chewed his head into submission. Reeling from the bite, Ash chose to drop it. "Okay! Gible, that's enough!" Now, Q's and A's were finished. "Okay. Let's begin." Dawn had one request.

"If it's alright with you, I'd like to practice with Staraptor." Why Staraptor? Ash didn't mind. New material perhaps?

"Sure thing! Staraptor, come on out!" Ash tossed his ball, releasing his predator from the air.

"Togekiss, grace us!" Togekiss? The ball opened to reveal a winged white creature with red and blue spots. This startled Ash. Dawn didn't have a Togepi or a Togetic. Where did she acquire a Togekiss? Unbeknown to Ash, this Dawn wasn't the one who he ditched at the entrance to the arena.

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><p><em>(A few moments ago...)<em>

_Dawn was wearing royalty. A lovely lilac gown and a sparkling tiara seemed to have won over the real Dawn...Piplup, Pikachu and Brock. "This is Princess Salvia," Freesia presented. "She's the Goodwill Ambassador summoned from a far away kingdom on request of Arrowroot Town."_

"_It's a miraculous pleasure to meet you all in person," Salvia bowed. "I've watched all the Pokémon Contest and Tag Battles and became a huge fan. And Piplup, you've been a great asset to Dawn." Piplup chirped, proud of the compliment. Salvia noticed that the attendance was a bit small. "May I ask where Sir Ash has gone?" Only now did someone other than Dawn and Brock notice that Ash wasn't present._

"_He's off training as usual," Brock scoffed. "He's still confident that he can get Gible's Draco Meteor to work." Salvia understood. Freesia resumed._

"_The reason I summoned you over here is that Princess Salvia wants to compete in a Pokémon Contest," she explained further. "However, her royal duties as the Goodwill Ambassador makes it impossible. That is why I sought you." Dawn had a funny feel about why._

"_Hold on!" she jumped. "Are you suggesting I be Princess Salvia?" Even Pikachu was shocked about a request such as this. Salvia wanted Dawn to take her place as the princess and Goodwill Ambassador for Salvia to compete in the Contest._

"_Oh, please, Lady Dawn!" she begged. "Say that you will!" Dawn was very reluctant until Freesia presented a pink ball gown and crown-style tiara. Dawn was estatic._

"_AWESOME!" She was enjoying the dress and performed a twirl. She also wore arm-length white gloves. Pikachu and Piplup were enticed with Dawn's royal look. "I actually look like a princess!" She stood by Salvia and even Brock found trouble telling the two apart._

"_Wow, you two look like twins!" Brock gulped. He couldn't be starting to fall for the two, could he? Croagunk, you're needed again!_

"_Now, princess," Freesia called. "It's time for you to get dressed." It was Dawn's clothes Freesia was handing over. A little bit later, Salvia looked like Dawn. Even Dawn was amazed._

"_Wow, it's like I'm looking into a mirror!" she awed. Brock agreed._

"_You two look so much alike, no one would suspect a thing," he pointed out. "Even Ash would have a hard time telling you two apart." That would soon become true._

"_It's an honor," Salvia thanked. "Although, your outfit is rather less than desirable. It's pretty embarrassing." She tugged Dawn's skirt down to protect any unmentionables flying in the open._

"_It suits you just dandy, your highness," Freesia reconsidered. Salvia would debate but looking like Dawn was the mission._

"_If you insist. Now, I'm willing to meet your other friend." Freesia began to escort Dawn and Brock away to the arena for the contest while Salvia sought Ash._

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><p><em>(Now)<em>

Staraptor and Togekiss bashed what appeared to be blue spheres around each other. Ten spheres were in the air before they landed graciously on Staraptor's beak, wing and talons as well as Togekiss' three horns and wings. Finally, the two wingers threw the spheres to the center, colliding. However, instead of a big explosion, the sphere remains were sparkles. They glittered over the two wingers...and the two humans. "That was awesome!" Ash praised. "Who knew that you had a Togekiss in hand. I bet you wanted to keep it in secret until the Grand Festival." Dawn...sorry, Salvia smiled brightly at Ash's compliment.

"Much appreciated, Ash," she returned. "Perhaps I can help out on Gible's Draco Meteor." Salvia, not Dawn, knelt down and comforted Gible.

"Did you run into Cynthia in the arena?"

"Not the champion, no. Someone who had taken a different approach to learning the move." Thinking it was someone still inside, possibly a coordinator like Dawn who's preparing for the Contest, maybe she decided to teach Ash. She pulled out a large red rubber ball. Why a rubber ball?

"You know Gible will jaw around anything in front of him." Salvia wasn't worried.

"Precisely." Just like Ash said and Salvia predicted, Gible clamped its huge teeth onto the rubber ball. That's when it hit Ash.

"I get it. Use an object in Gible's gullet and have it as a support." Gible heard the two and was ready to try once more as Staraptor and Togekiss waited on the ground. "Okay Gible. Let's try Draco Meteor once more." Mouthful Gible nodded before powering up the Dragon Energy in it's body before being able to try it. That's when the new orb enveloped the ball. Finally, Gible shot it skyward. Ash was hoping it would work. KABOOM! The ball blew up into a hundred falling spheres going in all directions. To Ash and Salvia, it was a success. "Gible, you did it!" Gible was proud of that successful Draco Meteor. Without warning, one meteor was heading right at the princess's head. Ash spotted it and dove onto his highness just before the meteor crashed. The Pokémon were so awed with the Draco Meteor that they forgot to knock away any debris falling at them. After that deadly shower, Ash wanted to make sure Salvia was okay. "You alright?" Salvia was shaken and her quaking hand felt the face of the trainer who spared her from harm.

"Thank you." His gift from the royal one? A lovely kiss on the lips. Ash was thinking Dawn had been keeping more secrets than just Togekiss. He's right but he's yet to figure out those secrets. 'Oh, Ash! I wish I could keep you in the castle for the rest of my life.' Of course, that depended if Dawn would approve. Before leaving to watch Salvia and Togekiss in action, she saw the princess kissing the frog...and she was less than enjoying it.

"How...dare she!" she stormed while looking through a telescope. Dawn was upset that Ash was getting some love from the princess. Brock was looking through the same telescope, jealous as well. That's when he thought it could work in Dawn's favor.

"Well, I'm not happy that Ash gets loved on before I do," he murmured. However, if Ash doesn't know it's not you, you could totally take advantage of it." In a sense, Brock figured that Ash was getting kissed by Dawn without knowing that Dawn and Salvia swapped places. Oh, well. If Ash gets an idea of who's who, someone's going to be upset...with Ash being in double trouble.


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's Note: This was intended to be a oneshot but with all this demand to continue, I might as well fulfill your request._

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><p>The Pokémon Contest was a riveting event as Dawn, posing as Princess Salvia who was suppose to be the Goodwill Ambassador in the Arrowroot Town Contest, watched on to see who might join her in the Grand Festival. She had already won the required amount of ribbons to enter the Grand Festival. However, her mind was still pretty preoccupied when the real princess laid eyes, then lips on Ash after he bailed her out of Gible's successful Draco Meteor. Salvia, wearing Dawn's contest dress after swapping places to try a Pokémon Contest out herself with Togekiss, was dominating the contest with a hand tied to her waist. Flanked by a butler and Freesia, Dawn could only watch instead of being by Ash, Brock, Pikachu and Piplup. On the bright side, she was watching the contest like she said. It was Salvia who told Ash that she'd "changed her mind and wanted to participate." Ash was completely clueless that Dawn wasn't Dawn and Princess Salvia wasn't Princess Salvia as introduced at the start of the contest. "We are now ready for the finals!" Marian announced on the stage. Dawn...uh, Salvia was staring down her opponent, Jessilina. "From the east bracket, it's Dawn from Twinleaf Town!" The crowd cheered on for DawnSalvia.

"You got it, Dawn!" Ash shouted louder than others. For a split second, hearing Ash's confident yell made Salvia blush a bit red. A bit of admiration? That irked Dawn a bit more in jealousy. She, Dawn, Freesia and the Pokémon knew of the swap. When Salvia kissed Ash, Brock told her that she could use that as a way to get closer to Ash. It still seemed that she would have a hard time to stomach it.

"And from Violet City in Johto, it's Jessilina!" The crowd let Jessilina...or Jessie in on their support. Salvia wasn't worried one bit. She had Ash on her side. "Okay, let's put 5:00 on the clock!" The scoreboard was set, the finalists were set, the crowd was set. "Begin!" The clock started which now read 4:59.

"Spotlight, Togekiss!" Salvia called out. From her Pokéball, Togekiss graced the audience.

"Seviper, you're up!" Jessie summoned, forthcoming Seviper. "Let's cloud the stage with Haze!" Seviper sprayed a thick black cloud over the arena, camouflaging itself under the toxic smoke. Ash watched, knowing that Salvia was in a bit of a pickle.

'Dawn needs to get rid of that smoke,' he pondered. 'Togekiss' Aura Sphere might dissipate it but her Air Slash and Sky Attack could do the job quicker.' Salvia studied and acted in immediate motion.

"Togekiss, Sky Attack!" she commanded. Togekiss danced in the sky as it began glowing bright. It swooped down and scooped the Haze on each pass. Jessie's score dwindled little by little with each billow-raising pass. The Haze looked like it was gathered in a cloud in the sky. "Now, Air Slash!" Togekiss swirled its wing which was absorbing the Haze. Fully consumed, Togekiss flung the Haze-infused attack. Jessie wasn't impressed, much to the disagreement in her score and the judges. Ash was rather stunned. She did what he thought up to the letter.

"Much like a twerp!" she sneered. "Seviper, Poison Tail!" Seviper sprung to the air using the power in the blade of its tail. Glowing purple, Seviper flung it's tail over its body and sliced the Air Slash in half. Salvia's score took a dip, but her confidence stayed intact.

"Togekiss, Safeguard!" Togekiss shrouded itself in a sphere of blue. Seviper continued to cartwheel at Togekiss. CLANG! Poison Tail hit the sphere but it bounced Seviper back, protecting the Jubilee Pokémon from harm. The deflection knocked points from Jessie's score.

"One minute's passed and already fireworks are exploding in this final round of the Arrowroot Contest!" Marian commentated. "Dawn's holding a slight lead on Jessilina with plenty of time for a comeback!" A comeback Jessie wasn't going to lose focus on. She needed to wait for Salvia to make a mistake.

"Aura Sphere!" Togekiss fired rounds of blue spheres upward. To Jessie, she found an opening.

"Seviper, Wrap!" Seviper leaped into the air and at the still air prancing Pokémon. The thing was Togekiss wouldn't stay still if you wanted it to. The coil missed its mark. It also set an opening for Salvia. It wasn't that the tables were turned, more like the bait was on the other hook. Even Dawn was awed with how slick and graceful Togekiss played around.

"Now, Air Slash!" Togekiss caught Seviper and swirled it around in the Air Slash attack. Then it tossed the Air Slash/Seviper up on now falling Aura Spheres. This was going to hurt and Seviper might be in need of a Nurse Joy. KABOOM! Seviper was hurdled to the ground where it made a huge impact. When the brief smoke cleared, Seviper was down for the count. Jessie gasped at how easy her Seviper was trampled.

"Seviper, no!" The monitors of the three judges read "X" on each and Jessie's score was erased. There was still 3:33 on the clock but the match was over.

"Seviper is unable to continue!" Marian concluded. "That means by KO, the Arrowroot Contest goes to Dawn and her Togekiss!" Jessie stood in utter shock. She came to the final match hoping to dominate and ended up being dominated by an undercover princess who showed more compassion than her lookalike. Salvia laughed innocently like it was just another round in a tournament, always focused on the next opponent. The crowd cheered wildly for Salvia, even the only few who knew she wasn't Dawn. When the podium was set, Jessie and another female coordinator stood on lower platforms than Salvia who was at the top. Dawn, Marian and the three judges, ironically one being Nurse Joy who could be treating Seviper's injuries. "Here to give out the Arrowroot Contest Ribbon, our three judges and the Goodwill Ambassador, Princess Salvia." Dawn knew that the one on top _was_ Salvia.

"Dawn, this is your sixth badge," Mr. Contesta praised. "Was this a practice round with a new Pokémon?" Salvia giggled like it was no big deal.

"It was," she replied with a sweet smile.

"Well, practice or not, your coordinating skills were remarkable," complimented Mr. Sukizo. Joy nodded to acknowledge Sukizo. Dawn opened up a small white chest with a magenta ribbon with a gold plate on it. Accepting the ribbon from the phony princess, Salvia rose the ribbon to show for all who applauded her performance. Backstage, Dawn and Salvia were back into their own clothes. Salvia had Togekiss' Pokéball in her hand.

"Dawn, I want you to have Togekiss." Dawn was flabbergasted. This was Salvia's Pokémon that she wanted to give away. "Togekiss enjoys doing contests. Please say that you'll train it like you with Piplup." It was an offer for Dawn to use in the Grand Festival. That's when Dawn had a ponder. Since Ash didn't suspect anything wrong when Salvia visited him beforehand, with Togekiss, it would be like everyday traveling.

"You-you mean it?" she gasped. Salvia nodded as she gave Dawn her precious Pokémon in its ball. Her face filled with glee. "I-I don't know what to say! Thank you!" Salvia giggled, knowing that she satisfied Dawn and felt entrusted for Togekiss' care. Dawn exited the arena and rejoined Ash, Brock and the Pokémon. "Sorry about that. Just some extra talk with the princess." Ash and Brock weren't worried. Then again, Brock and Pikachu knew the real deal.

"Hey, no prob!" Ash shrugged off. "I'm just anxious to get back to Sunnyshore City and battle Volkner." Dawn chuckled. Typical Ash. "But before that, I think we should rest up at the Pokémon Center before Sunnyshore." Brock would agree.

"That's a good idea," he acknowledged. So with Piplup back with the one-time princess, the group headed to the Center to rest. At Salvia's loaned bedroom, she basked at all that occurred today. Her chance encounter with Ash and his team, her participation in a Pokémon Contest with her now-departed Togekiss and winning it all...but nothing could top tasting the firm and soft lips of Ash. She fingered her lips, still feeling the young and tough but honest skin of the one who protected her from the Draco Meteor. Her mind shifted in mixed emotions. Why? Why did she, a form of royalty, start having feelings for a trainer, just a commoner in her world? She felt as if dressing as Dawn made her feel like a commoner herself. Maybe it wasn't being unlike a princess. Maybe it was her finding a prince for herself.

"Ash..." she whispered herself to sleep. Sweet dreams, princess. Meanwhile at the Pokémon Center, Ash was having a harder time sleeping than anyone else in the room. His mind was also back with that moment when Dawn kissed him...at least it appeared to be Dawn. He, too, began massaging his lips. He turned his head to a sleeping Dawn with Piplup cuddled alongside. It was a habit of hers...except that notion to tell him that she changed her mind about participating in the Pokémon Contest, having a Togekiss on hand during their travels...and her lips touching his.

'That's the first time someone I've traveled with had actually kissed me,' he minded. 'Misty never did it and neither did May. Dawn and I've even helped each other out but I never had the urge to just kiss someone. Maybe she had feelings for me but wasn't sure if they were true.' He got out of bed and crept to Dawn's sleeping face. 'She _does_ look cute snuggled by Piplup.' The urge to find out if Dawn had her heart on Ash continued Ash to lean down on her face. His lips inched closer and closer...he could only imagine the same flavor she gave him when they first did it. But then he stopped. Hesitation. That moment forced Ash's head back. Maybe it was too good to be true. Why would Dawn just do that to show affection? Perhaps it was the fact that Brock wasn't around and didn't want to let him know about unnecessary advances. Shaking his head, he walked out of the room and into the lobby. His mind was jumbled worse than Scrabble tiles in a bag.

"Hey, Ash!" a familiar squawk echoed. Ash looked up and spotted Barry. This was an unneeded surprise.

"Barry, what are you doing after curfew?"

"Me? I should be asking you that!" The mulled look took Barry aback. "Hey, you better lose that smug or I'll have to fine you!"

"Fine! I'll lose it if you listen!" Barry and Ash relented to allow Ash on what bugged him. Something stoked Barry's interest.

"I don't see anything too troubling, I mean considering that you two have been traveling for a long time." It was quite an adventure through Sinnoh but it paled to his earlier travels.

"Not as long as with Misty or May and they never kissed me. I'm just...pretty shocked that Dawn would take advantage of what she doesn't really know about." The more Ash complained about Dawn's kiss and repercussions, the more Barry chuckled in humor.

"Ash, you need to grow up. You should be lucky that you have someone who has a heart for you." Ash groaned at how brazen but right he was. He needed to understand that someone was out there for him. That's when Barry got a little suspicious. "Although for Dawn to have a Togekiss to bring out for a practice contest doesn't ring me the right way. What I could advise is that you train with that Togekiss. If Dawn has any difficulty with her Pokémon up the sleeve, Dawn wouldn't be the one who kissed you." A plan. It would distinguish all doubt on who kissed Ash. "Just don't be upfront about it." Ash nodded to the plan. Tomorrow could be the day Ash finds the truth. Would Dawn give up the Gastly?

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><p>TO BE CONTINUED...<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

Was it Dawn that kissed him? Why would she show affection to him after the weeks of traveling from town to town in her home region? Ash's head repeated those and related questions through the night, even with advice from an associate, Barry. The morning rose and the trio of kids were well on their way toward Lake Valor. Ash got a call from Volkner who told them that the Sunnyshore Tower, heavily damaged by the brainless actions of Team Rocket, was still being repaired and will be operational by the time the Grand Festival ends. Because of this setback, Ash had no choice but to join Dawn in watching her and her Pokémon compete. Stopping at a clearing at the peak of the sun's rise, the kids released their Pokémon for some of Brock's special chow. Ash's Pikachu, Torterra, Infernape, Gible, Staraptor and Buizel, Dawn's Piplup, Buneary, Cyndaquil, Pachirisu, Mamoswine and newly acquired Togekiss from Salvia, and Brock's Sudowoodo, Croagunk and Happiny were enjoying the meals prepped by the breeder. Ash viewed the glorious Togekiss, one which Dawn used in the Arrowroot Contest as practice for the Grand Festival. He was the only one who was left in the dark about the female "Prince and the Pauper" moment. Still, he was suspicious about how Dawn had Togekiss this whole time only to bring it out as a showoff display prior to the upcoming Coordinators' Championship tournament. He did have a question from yesterday's winning performance.

"Dawn, what did you do with the Arrowroot Town Contest Ribbon?" he asked. Dawn stopped her scarfing of stew to respond to Ash.

"I thought I told you already," she scolded. Brock scoffed, not seeing it the same way.

"Probably exhausted trying to perfect Gible's Draco Meteor, huh?" he chuckled. "Dawn gave her extra ribbon to Jessilina who told her that it was her fifth ribbon." Jessie was heading to the Grand Festival herself. Now Ash's questioning focused on Togekiss.

"I see," he reviewed their answer. "Well, how about Togekiss? How long did you have it before you wanted to show us?" Dawn wasn't expecting Ash to be so quizzical about her Pokémon collection. She knew she got it from Salvia, but if she told him that the real princess gave her Pokémon away, Ash would figure out that she didn't kiss Ash. She fought to think of a way to hide what happened before.

"Well, I guess it started back a month before we all met with Team Rocket trying to take Pikachu," she began her fib. "Mom and I were grocery shopping when we spotted Togekiss being attacked by a flock of Spearow and leader Fearow. Mom used her Glameow to shoo away the Spearow and Fearow so we could save Togekiss from anymore harm. Because the Twinleaf Town's Nurse Joy was helping another Nurse Joy somewhere else, we had to treat it's injuries ourselves. We brought it home and worked to make Togekiss better. When it was back to full health, Togekiss thanked us by showing that airborne ballet you saw yesterday. It was still pretty weak and would need time but when my time to start training arrived, I'd asked Mom to take care of it before I came back since I knew how well it could be used for Contests and even the Grand Festival."

To Ash, this Pokémon was as valuable as Piplup since these were her first Pokémon in different standards: first to treat and first to legally obtain by Prof. Rowan. Ash bit into it like he always would. Brock knew she was lying but hoped that if he kept quiet, Ash would forget about his encounter with the disguised Salvia. Ash's suspicions perked up almost immediately. Something else bothered him. "But we were in Twinleaf Town not too long ago and I didn't see Togekiss then." The more Ash was getting closer to finding the truth, the more Dawn wanted to stall his advances.

"Come on, Ash! I knew that if you saw Togekiss, it would've been easily frightened. It reacted that way in front of us." A natural reaction. Ash took her word for it.

"Well, I guess running into Togekiss so soon would frighten the wings off so I'll go along." Groans from Dawn and Brock told them they weren't humored. Ash quickly stood, wanting a little action. No, not _that_ action with Dawn. "Well, I'm gonna go do some training for when Volkner's ready. Buizel, Torterra, you ready?" Torterra and Buizel were ready to help out in preparing for the next battle. They ran to a nearby clearing. Torterra and Buizel faced each other. "Okay Buizel, let's work on that Ice Punch on speedy projectiles." Reaction and timing training. "Torterra, you ready?" Torterra roared, ready to go. "Okay! Energy Ball!" Torterra fired a green orb of energy at Buizel. "Buizel, Ice-" An Aura Sphere came out of nowhere and destroyed the Energy Ball. Togekiss flew down and faced Torterra, upset over something. "Togekiss!" Dawn and Brock raced over to the training a bit surprised.

"Togekiss, they were training!" Togekiss looked at Dawn all defensive. Why was Dawn yelling at her when it protected Buizel...even though it didn't need it? Brock sensed trouble with the ploy breaking down.

'This isn't good,' he minded. 'If Dawn can't contain Togekiss, Ash will learn real quick about the brief swap...and who really kissed him.' Suddenly, Togekiss chirped excitedly, wanting to train as well. Dawn's nerves were rattling. Talk about facing the moment of truth. She didn't look ready to train her new Pokémon. Ash was enjoying the addition of Dawn's new Togekiss willing to help practice.

"You sure, Togekiss?" he grinned. Togekiss chirped confidently. Enough to skirt Ash. "You got it!" Dawn was panicking. Brock realized Dawn's distress but what could he do? Togekiss even chose its opponent as Buizel, who was stoked to accept training, even if the opponent was someone else. "Are you sure Togekiss was shy when you first met it?"

"O-Of course!" Dawn defended herself. "Why would I lie about my story?" Because you just did.

"I don't know. It opened up outstandingly well in the Arrowroot Contest." Forced into a corner by Ash's sudden suspicions and Togekiss goad to train, Dawn chose to go along and prove she was worthy of owning Togekiss.

"Look, Ash! Either face me or not!" Ash grinned. Confidence would bore conclusion.

"Fine! Buizel, Water Gun!" Buizel spat streams of water upward.

"Togekiss, dodge it!" Togekiss played around, nonchalantly avoiding each strike. Did Togekiss really know it was in a battle? "Uh...counter with Sky Attack!" Togekiss didn't get the command and continued it's aerial prancing.

"Match speed for speed with Aqua Jet!" Buizel cocooned itself in a veil of water as it leaped up to meet Togekiss.

"Come on, Togekiss! Use Air Slash!" Only now did Togekiss listen that it wound up Air Slash and hurled it toward Buizel head-on.

"Buizel, break out and use Water Pulse!" Buizel stopped in midair and swiftly fired a blue orb, much similar to Togekiss' Aura Sphere. Both attack clashed in the middle and sprayed water in all directions. Splashes hit both Pokémon but both recovered. Ash realized something. Dawn's voice back at Arrowroot and now were rather different. Plus, Togekiss did ignore an order from Dawn.

"Sky Attack-"

"Hold it!" All and the Pokémon turned to a rather upset Ash. He figured that something was wrong with Dawn and her new Togekiss and now there was proof.

"Ash, what's wrong?" Brock questioned. The voice, the mood, the training with Togekiss...Dawn's Delcatty just exited her bag.

"Who's Togekiss' _real_ trainer?" Ash wanted the truth. Dawn and Brock tried to keep Ash in check.

"I told you, it's mine," Dawn took defense. Ash knew this wasn't true.

"No, it's not!" Dawn and Brock were surprised that Ash would snap with that volume. His anger was hard to control so he faced away. "Tell me the truth...if you can!" He ran off, secluding himself from his human and Pokémon friends. Pikachu didn't want to break from Ash and started to chase.

"Pikachu, don't bother!" Brock stopped the mouse, angering the Pokémon.

("He's my best friend!") he squeaked back. Brock had a reason and Pikachu had to have known.

"I realize that but you're also in on the switch." Pikachu wanted so bad to be by Ash's side...but knowing that he saw the princess as who she really was, he listened to Brock's wary advice. Watching with binoculars, Team Rocket witnessed the verbal blasting and how Ash just ran off from his Pokémon.

"I knew something was a little quirky about that Twerpette," Jessie, not really reflecting about her final ribbon to enter the Grand Festival, studied the situation. "But why would Pikachu's Twerp suddenly flip out because of her Togekiss?" James and Meowth weren't as lazy when it came to understanding the issue.

"Apparently, the twerp believes the girl's Togekiss was not hers," James clarified. "Which could mean that Twerpette you faced in the final round of that Pokémon Contest might not have been the same Twerpette we see." James seems to have some idea, unbeknown how right he really was. Jessie could care less about who really took her victory away in embarrassing fashion. She was beat in embarrassing fashion and wanted a little payback.

"Any twerp who turns me into a laughing stock is still a twerp!" She's also missing a key point. It's something the "men" noticed.

"You know, that Goodwill Ambassador did look a heckuva lot like the twerpette," Meowth murmured. James thought back to Arrowroot where he did notice similar faces with both Dawn and Salvia...or was that Salvia and Dawn?

"Now that you mention it, the Goodwill Ambassador and the twerp looked so much alike, I think she had a twin given away at birth," James theorized. "Perhaps the twerpette we see and the twerpette in the contests were who we believe are swapping in and out so that she kept a low profile that her family is of fame and fortune." Awkward point. One Meowth wanted to specify.

"You mean that the twerpette and the princess switch because the princess is better at contests than she is?" They pictured it now as Salvia, looking like Dawn in contest dresses, is winning the crowd over as the other Dawn, in street clothes, watched from behind the curtain. "I see your point. No way could we tell those two apart, even if my nine lives depended on it." That's so way off, it's no wonder only Team Rocket would be the ones to come up with that hypothesis. Meantime, Ash was lakeside skipping stones. Hey, a seven skipper! Pretty cool. Ash wasn't more upset with Dawn's lies than he was with how far the stones skipped. He knew Togekiss wasn't Dawn's Pokémon to begin with. He nearly kissed Dawn in a suspicious case of mysterious love thought. Jessie, redressed as Jessilina, appeared to meet Dawn's friend...if he would accept.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" she cheerfully greeted. "It's a small world after seeing you in the audience all the time." Ash didn't acknowledge Jessie. Every time Team Rocket was in disguise, they'd fool the kids into traps. Ash's ignorance was a real gust of wind of a new direction. "Are you upset over your twerpy friend's new Pokémon?" Ash lied on the stump he sat for since splitting from the others.

"Just that Dawn lied about how she acquired Togekiss," he muttered. "That and the mood and tone she displayed now and back in Arrowroot Town were completely different. Back at Arrowroot, she was more...polite and cordial and...even kissed me after Gible successfully did Draco Meteor nearly plowed us in. I didn't get the same feelings a few minutes ago." Boy, tell her your life story while you're rolling. Jessie didn't scoff. She was a little awed that her archenemy, despite not knowing that it's her in disguise, was getting love but going through a quarrel at once.

"Oh dear! I don't know what to say!" She'd think of something quickly. "So your friend's credibility was called into questioning and you learned the truth?" Ash hissed away from Jessie. "Not so much, huh?" Finally, Ash jumped to his feet. He seemed dead set on finding the truth about who he encountered.

"I need to apologize to Dawn." He turned to face Jessie, calmed from the brief chat. "Sorry about wasting your time from preparing for the Grand Festival." Jessie waived the apology off, not a big deal to her.

"I wasn't really warming up but thanks anyway." That's when out of the corner of his eye, Dawn showed up with a worry twinkle in her peeps. Togekiss and Pikachu stood by her.

"Dawn?" Jessie saw this and trying not to blow her cover, wanted to excuse herself.

"Ah, look at the time! I'm gonna leave you two alone to straighten your differences, okay? Tootles!" With that, Jessie dashed away. Now it was between Ash and Dawn. A more eased raven-haired trainer spoke first.

"Listen...I-I'm sorry for blowing up like that. I wasn't feeling too comfortable with how you and Togekiss worked together." Dawn looked like she'd accept the apology.

"Yeah...well..." she hesitated. "Brock, Pikachu and I should apologize for lying to you. I was just jealous when you were kissed." Dawn saw the kiss and didn't appreciate it. Ash itched his head in some embarrassment.

"You might find it a little hard to believe but I almost kissed you while you were sleeping." Dawn hiccuped. She nearly got some Ash on either her cheek or her lips. Pikachu was equally stunned.

("I never imagined you as Romeo-esque,") he squeaked. Dawn's cheeks bled red. There was a moment where Ash would've blindly kissed her and any jealousy toward Salvia would have been null and void.

"O-Oh, wow..." she shuttered, slightly humored. After settling down, Dawn told her about what happened in Arrowroot Town as she sat on an adjacent stump. "After you ran off to train for Volkner, we were approached by Freesia who asked for my help. We met Princess Salvia who had asked me to pose for her so that she'd participate in the Pokémon Contest. After dressing as me, she ran to meet you and...I saw the whole exchange." Ash now learned Salvia kissed him, not Dawn. "I...got a bit upset but I tried to be a good sport about it. After she won and handed the ribbon to Jessilina, she gave me Togekiss." Fully informed, Ash figured about Pikachu's involvement as well as Brock.

"Lemme guess," he started. "Because you and Brock saw the kiss, Brock believed that I wouldn't know that switch between you and the princess." Dawn nodded, the secret out in the open.

"You know, you lived any ordinary young boy's dream of being kissed by a princess, much like a girl to a prince." Obvious but a good analogy. Ash was back on his feet, knowing what to do.

"Dawn, I wanna go meet the princess. I wanna know if maybe she does have feelings for me or if that moment was for protecting her from Gible's success." Dawn sighed. It bugged Ash so well, he wanted more of the truth and chose to see Salvia. "Togekiss, can you guide us to Princess Salvia? I wanna meet her as she is." Togekiss bowed, accepting Ash's request. A journey was set as Ash was ready to seek Salvia but trouble was about to brew and it didn't involve Jessie or James. Find out next time.


	4. Chapter 4

The Pokémon Center spotted the trio with Togekiss at a map. Ash was feeling more comfortable since Dawn told him the truth about Togekiss' upbringing. Now came a big question: where's Princess Salvia's kingdom? "Togekiss, we feel that you know where the kingdom is," Dawn believed. "With this map, it can help us find out where the princess resides." Togekiss looked at the map but nothing could help the Jubilee Pokémon in finding the location of it's old home. The sigh from Togekiss was a rather hard blow.

"Guess we were expecting too much for Togekiss to point out a location," Brock muttered. Dawn acted defeated in asking where the kingdom was.

"It was worth a shot." Ash shot a look at the map, wondering if maybe there's something missing over the journey throughout Sinnoh.

"Can you think of anything, Pikachu?" he questioned his mouse. Pikachu plotted for a second before having a theory.

("I think I got one,") he squeaked as he leaped to address Togekiss. ("Togekiss, could you point out the direction of where your kingdom resides?") Togekiss wondered about the question the Electric Mouse Pokémon and his plan. Finally, Dawn's flier realized what Pikachu believed. It flew out the opening door and straight up with the kids following in pursuit. At it's peak, Togekiss settled itself in a fixed direction. Togekiss was playing itself off as a compass but the kids didn't recognize it right away.

"What is Togekiss doing?" Dawn wondered. The boys were just as confused about why Togekiss nosed itself in the direction it faced. Suddenly, Ash sensed the reason.

"I got it!" he yelled. The rest twisted to Ash and wanted to ask him.

"What is it, Ash?" Here came the answer.

"Togekiss is pointing to the direction of the kingdom. It can still sense an odor from Princess Salvia and is pointing us in a certain path." Princess and odor? Ash, let's hope that odor isn't what your stomach desired.

"Odor from Princess Salvia?" Brock actually knew what Ash meant.

"Trained Pokémon cam recognize their trainers through different methods, smells being one," he evaluated. "It's like a pet when you have it for a while, they sense that it's you through sight, touch or smell." A lot of ways for human and Pokémon to communicate, a fact Dawn now realized during that brief training session.

"I guess I can look like the princess but I won't get that stench Togekiss enjoyed with Salvia." She had a laugh from her own tease. Brock studied the direction and remembered which way he was facing.

"North-Northwest, huh?" The younger two wondered how Brock was able to know which direction Togekiss was facing.

"North-Northwest?" Brock reentered the Center, snagged a ruler and lined it straight up and then to the left. It's not perfectly diagonal, more like if it was a grid that the ruler would be two squares up to one square left. Ash, Dawn and the Pokémon returned to Brock's side. Soon, they found the ruler's line from their current spot and up the ruler. The ruler reached the northern-most point of Sinnoh, Snowpoint City.

"I doubt Zoey or Candice would know about any kingdoms near Snowpoint City," Ash figured.

"Perhaps but look where else the ruler cuts into," Brock pointed out. The two gazed for a little longer and spotted a landmark: Gracidea.

"Gracidea?" That stoked Togekiss to chirp wildly. Hearing all the excitement, the three had ideas that Salvia's kingdom was around Gracidea.

"There's a kingdom in Gracidea?" Dawn guessed. Were they there prior? "We didn't see any building in Gracidea, let alone a castle." Did they miss something?

"Well, keep in mind that we were only there to get a Shaymin to the flower garden," Brock reminded. "And stopping Zero from sacrificing Giratina. So if we saw a kingdom, it would've been on the mountains far from danger." In a sense, Salvia could have been watching the airborne struggle between Zero's ship and the heroes. "But if it's up there, no question that we completely missed it." Only to have Ash see optimism in the form of what the map portrayed.

"There's great news if we go," he spoke up as he approached the map. "It cuts by Lake Valor. So if we get the explanations done, we'll be in striking distance of reaching Lake Valor with plenty of time to setup for Dawn's Grand Festival run." Ash pointed to Gracidea then Lake Valor along the way.

"Hey, you're right!" Dawn gasped. "This will be perfect." Not wasting time, the three ventured the North-Northwest to Gracidea. Two days passed when the gang reached a garden of red flowers. During that duration, Brock and Pikachu apologized to Ash, Brock admitting his role and telling Pikachu not to be by Ash's side when he darted away. Ash was more forgiving to Pikachu than Brock, a note he deserved for that setup. A little mountain climbing later, the group found a glittering white castle walled in. "Togekiss, is this where Princess Salvia lives?" Togekiss chirped to say that it was.

"I can finally get answers in why Salvia kissed me the way she did." Dawn and Brock thought Ash was overreacting to a simple kiss.

"It's just a kiss."

"Then why did she hold onto my lips for a long time and why did she dress like you if to get into the Pokémon Contest?" To Ash, this wasn't a peck. This was a smother. They reached the gate and Freesia was watering the garden. Brock couldn't hold his feelings back to seeing her again.

"Freesia~!" he screamed with quite a swoon in his carry. Freesia spotted the charging Brock like Dawn's Mamoswine to her poffins.

"Sir Brock?" she stuttered in some shock and amazement. Brock got to Freesia and held her hands in a loving gesture.

"Freesia, the freedom of seeing you once more has brightened my light for love~!" BAM! Tell that to Croagunk and his Poison Jab to the pancreas. Brock may never learn. "Only...to have it...darkened...by Croagunk!" On the floor, Croagunk easily dragged Brock away as Ash and Dawn came forward.

"My, Lady Dawn! Master Ash! What brings you to the Gracidea Kingdom?" Ash was astounded to hear Freesia speak his name despite that it's the first time meeting him.

"How do you know me?" he wondered. One shot to Dawn itching an embarrassed head told a familiar tale. "Gotcha..." Dawn spoke up now.

"Ya see, the trick for Princess Salvia and my switch came apart and now Ash wants to meet the princess as she is," she said a mouthful. Freesia was dumbstruck. There was a plan that had gone south and now Ash wanted the real deal.

"Oh, dear!" she gasped. "Well, I'm not sure I should accept admittance to you, knowing how strict the butler is." Freesia was about to get a little help...from the princess.

"This is unexpected!" sounded Salvia. The three, not including the paralyzed breeder, turned to Salvia in the outfit which she appeared before Dawn and Pikachu. Ash balked. He's staring at royalty. Either that or he's shocked at how similar Dawn and Salvia looked.

"Princess, sorry for the intrusion," Dawn apologized. "But Ash caught on the switch." Ash came forward, still mesmerized with the comparison of the two blue-haired females.

"It's...it's nice to meet you...P-Princess Sal...via," Ash stuttered. Salvia giggled at how awe-stricken Ash was seeing her as she really was.

"I do not blame your actions seeing me like this," she scoffed. "I believe you think Lady Dawn and I look so much alike that the similarity is startling." Ash scratched his head in shame and humiliation.

"Y-yeah..."

"Come inside and I can explain why I confronted you as Lady Dawn." Agreeing, Ash, Dawn and the Pokémon entered the castle and into her room. As Freesia brought tea for the three, since Croagunk's Poison Jab apparently was more potent than before on Brock, and food for the Pokémon, Salvia began to explain the event back in Arrowroot. "Ash, the reason I dressed as Dawn initially to participate in the Arrowroot Pokémon Contest with Togekiss. My purpose was never to deceive you, Sir Ash, but since you didn't attend my briefing, it was my obligation to meet you." Ash was rather impressed with why Salvia switched with Dawn for the participation.

"Guess you couldn't actually compete until you met _all_ of us, huh?"

"More or less. When Lady Dawn told me and Freesia that she mainly came to the Pokémon Contest to view any coordinators who would earn enough contest ribbons for the Grand Festival in nearby Lake Valor, it was an open invitation to swap places with her. The only way to convince that I would participate would be your acknowledgment that you encouraged Lady Dawn as a warmup. She told me you were trying to work on your Gible's Draco Meteor and grabbed the ball that was used to perfect the technique." Ash remembered that well. It was also the moment when Ash unintentionally saved the princess in disguise...and the kiss.

"So, when I saved you from the falling meteors, that's when you-" Salvia nodded in embarrassment.

"I'll confess that it was the first time that my life was truly endangered, though most of it was from my poor judgment. You sacrificed your health to defend me, much more than the guards protecting my parents, the king and queen." Health wasn't really in harm's way. "You could imagine my shock that my life had been in peril the moment the meteors landed...and the moment I felt like I found my prince." It's hard to keep a straight face, especially when your cheeks get blushing red. Ash felt that his action to save Salvia had repercussions that not even Dawn or Salvia had anticipated.

"Princess, are you alright?" Dawn asked in concern, practically ignoring her duplicate's mentioning "prince." Salvia faced Ash with something to get off her blouse.

"Sir Ash, that was my first kiss to anyone, let alone a commoner who would do anything to protect the innocent of people and Pokémon. I even saw your battle to protect Giratina with Lady Dawn from the machine that was absorbing the legendary Pokémon's life. Please, Sir Ash! Become my prince and stay with me until the end of time!" Ash was beyond able to answer. The princess wanted to have him by his side. Dawn watched in sheer awe but dismay. This boy from Pallet Town in the Kanto Region could be the future husband of an heir to a kingdom, a rare feat by anyone. From all anyone knew, Dawn wished a real prince would just whisk her away just to get back at Ash. Let's hold all thoughts because someone chose to crash the party...and not the butler or Brock. CRASH! Through the window was a man in an ivory jumpsuit with a "0" on his chest. The white-haired man flew on an airborne scooter and snagged Salvia just as Brock recovered and entered the room. Salvia let out a screech when she was snagged by the white-haired.

"Zero!" Zero held Salvia under his arm and around her waist.

"We meet again, all of you," he sneered. "How bitter I feel after being incarcerated by those close to Newton Graceland." A history involving Zero and the heroes.

"Let the princess go! She's got nothing to do with it!"

"You're right, she doesn't. But since hearing that you and she have been close..." He's using Salvia to bait Ash to helping his demands.

"Help me!" she screamed. Ash, Dawn and Brock wanted to but with the tight grip, risking harm was out of the question.

"It's off to the Reverse World!" Zero drove the hovering scooter away from the castle.

"NO!" Ash gave chase, hoping to stop Zero and rescue Salvia but Zero hauled out so fast, the head start was too great for Ash to catch them.

"Salvia!" he shouted. No one in the room could fathom what just happened. Brock had something more disturbing to say.

"Zero severely injured Freesia and the Butler!" he informed. Zero went all out to neutralize the castle...but how did Zero escape?

"Okay, you two take care of the injured," Ash instructed. "I'm going after Zero." He was ready to rescue Salvia but Dawn knew he couldn't get to the Reverse World so easily.

"Ash, how can you get into the Reverse World?" she countered. Ash knew that getting there was harder but how can Zero unless he has the technology? That's it! The technology.

"Zero has it! Trust me!" Ash bolted out and down the mountain, Pikachu by his side. It had taken them a few minutes to reach the bottom of the mountain and to their amazement, a vortex was visible. They wasted no time and leaped into the vortex just before it vanished. Ash, Pikachu, Salvia and Zero are now in the Reverse World in the dance of death. What does Zero have for Ash to save Salvia?


	5. Chapter 5

Welcome to the Reverse World. Anything about the Pokémon World was the polar opposite of this world. For Ash and Pikachu just arriving, that world held a princess and an enemy. Who knows what Zero was planning to do with Salvia. Seeing the majesties of the Reverse World was nice to see but for Ash, sight seeing was far from his mind. "We'd better be careful in this world," he warned Pikachu. "We don't have Newton to help up where the altered gravity zones are located."

("I can help with that,") Pikachu reassured. They began to run through sets of buildings when another Pokémon decided to check in on the situation. It was Dialga. The Pokémon of Space entered through a rip it created. Zero, on his hovering scooter, spotted Dialga, scoffing at what troubles awaited.

"Hm," he hummed. "This could be interesting. I'm sure Giratina will have a heck of a time with a few intruders." Ash raced around the awkward structures in the hunt to find Salvia. He and Pikachu hit a tunnel and felt light.

("Light gravity!") Hearing Pikachu, Ash slowed his pace. He didn't want to wait but he had to calm his pace down. Hopping through the section, Ash used the near-zero gravity and bounced to the other side. There, Pikachu felt pounds pulling him down. ("Normal gravity!") Ash landed and realized he couldn't move so freely anymore. Back on "normal" ground, Ash raced downstairs...or upstairs... Hey, the Reverse World can be so disorienting. He hoped to find Salvia soon but so far, there wasn't a soul to see, not even a Pokémon. ("Get Staraptor out! We can split up and search this world for the princess.") It sounded like a good idea until Ash remembered all those chases with Zero's Pokémon.

"Not a good plan," he denied. "Zero has the evolution set of Magnemite which includes Magneton and Magnezone. They'll make mincemeat out of Staraptor." Pikachu didn't think that Ash had a counter. Those two occasionally agreed to plans. The past had Ash backtracking to come up with a strategy. Pikachu thought Ash failed to acknowledge a trait it had.

("I can help minimize Staraptor's damage with my body. I am an Electric Pokémon, after all.") No denying that. Ash was worried about Princess Salvia, but he was more worried about his Pokémon. He wasn't completely aware of Dialga who also entered the Reverse World. Now wasn't the time to argue with his best friend. Now was the time to find the heir.

"Alright. You and Staraptor be careful." He opened Staraptor's Pokéball and released him. Pikachu wasted little time boarding the Predator Pokémon. "Keep your eyes out for the princess. Staraptor, the princess looks a heck of a lot like Dawn so keep that in mind as you two look. And be careful. Zero can be tricky to plot something." Staraptor and Pikachu knew what to do and they took off...where Zero camped nearby.

"Nice work on your hide-and-seek," he cockily complimented. "Just not good enough." Entering the tunnel the opposite of where the Pokémon exited from, Zero was ready to confront Ash...but he was just as elusive. "Hm. Never thought he would be the hiding type. He's here somewhere." Before he could enter, a black cloud entered the tunnel. Past experience forced Zero to back out. Ash was seen holding his breath as he raced from the cavernous tunnel. Out of the tunnel, Ash gasped to get fresh air in his lungs.

"Nearly forgot about the poisonous clouds." Suddenly, Ash started to believe that Zero may have exposed Salvia to the clouds. Knowing that those poisonous clouds could knock someone out for good, he hoped that she didn't breathe in that toxic black puff. Rounding the corner and his worst dream had just become a nightmare. BAM! He barreled right into Jessie and knocking both of them down. Recovering, Team Rocket seethed at the carelessness of the trainer.

"Did your mother ever tell you to watch where you're going?" James snapped. It wasn't that Ash didn't know where he was going, it was a blind corner. Jessie bounced back onto his feet, upset at Ash's run-in.

"Excuse me! I'm in the middle of something!" Jessie released Seviper, advising Ash to stay put.

"I don't care if you're having a heart attack," she scowled. "You'll present Pikachu or else!" Could this be why Pikachu wanted to split up from Ash? He knew Team Rocket was on the prowl?

"Pikachu's not with me!" This would be a tell for Team Rocket to leave Ash alone. However, they were a stubborn bunch.

"I know you're hiding that prized Pokémon somewhere in this world!" Ash didn't want to argue. He wanted to save Salvia.

"I've got more important matters to deal with!" Jessie wasn't willing to let him go.

"That's what you think! Seviper, Wrap the twerp!" Seviper lunged at Ash but he juked his way to where Seviper got his Wrap...on Meowth!

"Hey!" Meowth screeched. "Get your scaly scales off a-me!" As Jessie and James tried to untangle their Pokémon, Ash was off and running. Now, Ash had Zero _and_ Team Rocket to deal with. He now wished he had some extra help. Meanwhile, Ash's Pokémon searched high and low for the princess. That's when the guardian of the Reverse World showed up: Giratina. Giratina roared at his trespassers but Pikachu and Staraptor explained the issue at hand, including Salvia and Zero. Giratina's roar was quieted at the note of Zero's reentry. It was a big issue that was about to get even bigger as Dialga spotted Giratina. The Pokémon of Time overheard the conversation with the Electric Mouse, sensing problems. Giratina and Dialga glared at each other, the guardian not liking all these intrusions. Talk about complications. The giant Pokémon were wasting Pikachu's time. That's when Dialga spotted the trainer. It remembered this boy helping him and Palkia out of Team Galactic's snare. A tiny roar told Pikachu and Staraptor to get moving. Staraptor flew off, continuing the search of the royal female. All hoped they weren't too late. Giratina flew down to meet with Ash who saw him coming.

"Giratina!" he called up. Meeting up, Ash had something to tell the guardian. "Have you seen a girl in here?" A lowly growl told Ash that it hadn't seen any girl in the vicinity. Was it safe to say that it was going on right in front of Zero as he zipped in? No, safe wouldn't be the word.

"Congratulations, Ash!" he yelled as he swooped to greet his foe and Pokémon. "You're a lot smarter than I anticipated from you. You managed to round up Giratina for me to capture. Besides, with these clouds forming all over and no Shaymin to absorb and use Seed Flare, how are you gonna survive?" A taunt.

"Look, tell me where the princess is!" Ash was in no mood for games. Zero's laugh said otherwise.

"You seem to have forgotten that the matter fits just the- huh?" Ash and Zero turned to see Team Rocket ready to brawl.

"This is your last warning!" Jessie hollered. "Surrender Pikachu or surrender your health!" Ash could grab another Pokémon but Zero flew past him.

"Excuse me but we're having a conversation here." It took a click or two to remember Team Rocket's involvement with Newton. "Of course, you're assisting Newton Graceland as well." Jessie growled, steamed at being blocked. Man, all this tension going around. Pikachu and Staraptor have been going to just about every place but no sign of Salvia anywhere. If Zero hid her, he did an excellent job. Of course, that's giving him too much credit.

("We have a better chance finding Team Rocket than the princess,") Pikachu growled. They've already found Ash and he's got his hands and feet full with them and Zero. That's when the Predator Pokémon spotted tufts of blue hair.

("I see hair!") it cawed. ("Check?") Pikachu saw where Staraptor found the discovery, confident that they found the royal heir.

("Only one way to know! Full Speed with Aerial Ace!") Staraptor flew down with impressive speed, breaking the window. The two spun and much to their delight...but concern, there was Salvia. She was bound by rope but unconscious. Pikachu jumped off and got to the princess' side to see if he could wake her up. ("Hey, Princess! Time to wake up!") That didn't work. He could use Thunderbolt. It usually wakes Ash up when he oversleeps. However, this was a princess who wouldn't deserve such a rude gesture from a Pokémon. It made Pikachu cringe in panic. What if Salvia inhaled some of the toxic cloud? She couldn't be alive but she was breathing though very shallow.

("Pikachu, any plan?") Staraptor figured that she cannot save herself in this horrifying mysterious condition.

("Go get Ash here. He'll know what to do.") Pikachu seemed confident with the attack plan. Staraptor exited and flew to find Ash. He was stuck in the middle of a squabble with Zero and Team Rocket and Zero had a swarm of Magnemite about to hover around the others.

"You think your Magnemite Army will whisk us away?" Jessie scoffed. "Surely, we've improved in fending off big fleets of Pokémon." Zero wasn't phased. This argument was taking too long and Ash needed to bail.

"Unless you guys are gonna battle, I think I'll step aside," Ash yawned. "Giratina, let's go!" Ash clasped onto Giratina's tusk and began to fly off from the two. Not on Zero's watch.

"That's what you think," he groaned before starting to chase. Jessie turned to James to see if he could stop Zero.

"James, reel him back!" James had his Pokéball ready to go.

"Let's go, Carnivine!" he summoned. The ball opened and the light clasped him as the Bug Catcher emerged with the jaw clamped hard on his neck, practically engulfing his head. "Must you latch onto my head every time? Use Vine Whip!" Carnivine fired a vine and hooked onto Zero's ride. However, instead of slowing the ride down, James and Carnivine were lifted from the ground with James' head still stuck in Carnivine's mouth. That's some strong jaw. Jessie and Meowth couldn't react in time to help their partner out. It happened so fast so you couldn't blame them for their lack of response. Ash's Staraptor found Ash on the guardian's tusk and flew toward him. Seeing no Pikachu, Ash believed they accomplished their mission.

"Did you find the princess?" Ash wondered. Staraptor cawed to confirm Ash's concern. Ash was proud of his Pokémon's fast work but now had to deal with two problems: Zero and James. Well, maybe Zero. James had gone limp with his head still wedged inside Carnivine's flytrap mouth. 'I gotta do something to get Zero off our tail.' Spotting the vine clung onto the hovering vehicle. Maybe Ash could use Team Rocket's Grass Pokémon to his advantage...but how. It can't use his mouth with James occupying it. Could it use Vine Whip again. "Carnivine, throw a Vine Whip up here!" Carnivine was getting worried about James and in it's thoughts, so was Ash. Giratina turned around as Carnivine fired another Vine Whip, Ash catching it. "Bulls-eye!" The overgrown Venus Flytrap released the vine on the scooter and fell right onto Giratina, finally releasing James who was lights out.

"Carnivine, you now know why I despise you clamping on my head," he unconsciously murmured. Did it bother Carnivine? Ash didn't see the Pokéball for Carnivine so Ash had to use it to survive when a fleet of Magnemite and a lone Magnezone showed up Salvia was his mission but Giratina had to be protected. Staraptor couldn't last too long since Magnemite and Magnezone were both Electric and Steel types. He wouldn't need to worry. A navy blue barrel of light scattered the orbiting steel orbs with magnets and the UFO shaped Pokémon. Ash, Staraptor and Carnivine spun heads to see Dialga swooping in and covering Giratina. Zero throttled down, trying not to get caught in Dialga's Roar of Time. This Pokémon helping Pokémon caught Zero by surprise.

"This is an interesting turn," he muttered. "Dialga and Giratina working together?" Ash had an idea: Dialga could stall Zero while Giratina carried Ash to Salvia. It was worth a shot.

"Thanks, Dialga!" he praised. "We need that screen!" The two giant Pokémon raced forward and left Zero in the dust.

"A two-for-one deal. Take those two, absorb their powers and be god. My day keeps getting better. All forces, surround and neutralize with Thunder Wave!" The Magnemite and Magnezone chased Dialga and Giratina. Ash had to thin out the assault. Carnivine could help but it's James' Pokémon.

"You wanna help James out?" Carnivine nodded. "You and Infernape can work together! Infernape, I choose you!" Ash released Infernape. "You'll have to excuse me if I borrow Carnivine, James. Carnivine, use Bullet Seed! And Infernape, use Flamethrower!" Carnivine spat multiple seeds at rapid velocity at the Magnemite while Infernape spewed fire into the fray. The Magnemite were being knocked away, plenty being knocked out with the seeds and/or the flames. More Magnemite fired blue lightning but Dialga defended the others by coating itself in a blue veil. This bought enough time for Staraptor to descend down to where Pikachu waived up with his tail. Spotting the door, Dialga landed, ready to provide protection for Ash. Regaining consciousness, James got back on his feet and gazed at the Pokémon fending off the Magnemite parade. "Keep it up, everyone!" The Pokémon continued to battle while Ash entered Pikachu's location. James trusted Ash's commands and followed his enemy into the building. "Princess!" Getting to Salvia's side, Ash feared he came too late to save her life.

("Staraptor and I found her like this!") Pikachu explained. ("I didn't want to shock her!") Ash knew that Pikachu wouldn't hurt her intentionally.

"Come on, Princess! Wake up!" He tried rubbing his bare hand after removing his glove. No reaction. "No...don't tell me..." James tossed unused smelling salts to Ash. Picking one miniature bag, he turned to the Rocket.

"Well, how else do we constantly have our machines ready to use on you, twerp?" he illustrated. Ash had a quick mental picture of Jessie, James and Meowth weaving smelling salts across their noses. He waived the red blotch stain across Salvia's nose...but it failed to react. Ash had the salts so close, it nearly tapped her nose. This was serious and Ash's fears seem more truthful. His sadness was exposed. Salvia was way too young to go. James was a criminal for trying to take Pokémon from trainers but he would never think of going so far as murdering said trainer for a rare creature. Jessie, maybe. Heck, she wouldn't care if the trainer she's stealing from was dying from stab wounds to the chest. James realized that Ash was doing all he could for the right thing. For some odd reason as he was crying for her apparent loss, Ash reached down and gave Salvia a kiss on the lips like she did to him back in Arrowroot Town. Ash was never known to have kissed anyone so this was a surprise. Maybe Ash wanted to let her know how grateful he was for her to help her training. Suddenly, a moan. Salvia was alive. Her eyes opened as Ash broke from her.

"Sir...Ash?" she murmured. Ash nodded but was concern with Salvia's condition.

"Just relax, okay?" he requested. He rose up to acknowledge James to keep an eye on Pikachu and Salvia. He may not like leaving his prized Pokémon in the hands of a Team Rocket member but with the princess on tap, he was guaranteed in his mind that James won't make a stupid mistake. Of course, if James made a move to snatch Pikachu, he could counter by taking Carnivine. Stepping out, he saw fatigue in the Pokémon including all the defeated Magnemite. All that was left were a few of the said Magnemite and the Magnezone. Even the giant Pokémon were badly winded.

"Even the great powers of Time and Space are proving inadequate when hundreds of Magnemite are summoned," Zero goaded. "I can do without those inferior Pokémon. They don't have the dimensional bending powers that Dialga and Palkia possess." Ash ignored Zero and made his way to the Pokémon.

"Relax for a second," he told the Pokémon as he began to emit a blue veil. Carnivine and Infernape stood back to watch Ash perform his duty. Touching Dialga and Giratina, both Pokémon started to glow a blue, a more vibrant blue than the blue decorating Dialga. Both giants roared with power building on Ash's donation. It was as if they were recharged. Zero wasn't worried in the least.

"How comforting. You care about those two when they do not belong to a trainer? You're just wasting that energy in vain." The remaining Magnemite and Magnezone shielded Zero from any oncoming attacks.

"Really? I just gave up my anger to these titans. The last thing you did was put someone in between you and me for some cowardly reason."

"Cowardly? You wouldn't mean the fact that I inadvertently passed a few clouds along the way, right?" He laughed like he didn't care what happened to the princess. It was an obstacle to him. Even the Pokémon were enraged. "Be mad all you want. I'll still win by dusk!" Magnezone came forth and fired blue volts of lightning at the Pokémon on the ground but Ash stood in front and absorbed the strike. However, he wasn't the only one taking the wave of blue thunder. Carnivine wrapped its vines around Ash's waist and took the shock as well...but both were seemingly fine. Giratina and Dialga vanished and reappeared behind Zero, firing the Roar of Time and blue spheres at the villain. Zero flew back and away from the attacks in which Ash hopped on board and grappled his arms. The two struggled as the scooter flew out of control. "Get off me!" Zero flailed to knock Ash off his ride, nearly succeeding as Ash fell, only to grab the platform. Giratina and Staraptor gave chase if only to save Ash. He grabbed a Pokéball and release Gible. Draco Meteor time?

"Gible, lunchtime!" Gible bit off the zero-gravity motors which caused the scooter to fall from the sky. Ash snagged Gible as they began to fall with Zero. Staraptor clawed onto Zero and carried him over to the other Pokémon which Carnivine used the Vine Whip to snare him. Infernape helped hold Zero down. Meantime, Giratina caught Ash and began to float him back to the rest. Zero's captured and Salvia's safe. Thanks to some helpful Pokémon and including James' Carnivine, Ash has saved everyone...well, all but Jessie and Meowth as they arrived to return to their teammate. Salvia came out and saw Ash in good shape. She and Pikachu reunited with Ash where Salvia embraced her knight in shining armor with a hug.

"Thank you for protecting me, my prince!" she cried happily. Well, let's not get too excited. They still needed a way out. For certain, a figure came out from out of nowhere. Could this be good or bad for them? The ending, next time...


	6. Chapter 6

A light descended on the group of Pokémon and the humans as resolve played out. When the light reached the ground, it formed a Pokémon: Arceus. "Whoa, Arceus!" Ash gasped. Arceus peered around, eying Giratina and Dialga, then Ash and Salvia and Pikachu.

"_**I sensed a disturbance here," **_Arceus expressed. **_"Despite being here for the first time, I happen to know what the Reverse World contains. However, it does not explain why Dialga is here and why some humans have ventured into here as well." _**Salvia would be the first to speak to the telepathic Pokémon.

"Dear Arceus, that man kidnapped me from my kingdom," she claimed to the man Ash was holding down. Seeing Ash was a welcome relief in Arceus' emotion.

"_**Ah, Ash! It's been sometime. Ever since you've protected me from that emperor, I have held onto that gratitude that you've shown me amongst the Legendary Pokémon." **_Dialga offered to keep Zero pinned for Ash to meet up with Arceus. Team Rocket saw the Alpha Pokémon, the desire to take it for their boss in mind.

"I don't give a Raticate's tail if that is a legend," Jessie snarled. "It's still a rare Pokémon for us to capture and give it to the boss." Meowth wanted to make sure as he readied a bazooka.

"Locked on target..." it meowed. Pikachu suddenly spotted the Alley Cat Pokémon with the bazooka and fired a Thunderbolt before Meowth could pull the trigger. The three were shocked, literally, and the bazooka's ammo exploded. The bazooka blew up and sent Team Rocket flying.

"Leave it to the twerp's Pikachu to ruin the ordeal for us," James whined. That's when they did something weird.

"Niaga ffo gnitsalb si Tekcor Maet ekil skool!" they yelled as they left. If no one knows what they just said, spell it all backwards. It's the Reverse World, it makes sense a bit. Zero struggled to get on his feet.

"I will not bow down to a Pokémon, even if it's legendary!" he growled. Still being pinned by Dialga, he refused to accept that this was over.

"_**Are you still in denial that your plans have been vanquished?" **_he mocked Zero. **_"Someone like you doesn't deserve to meet a legendary Pokémon, let alone obtain. It is my obligation that I seek punishment for your crimes against us." _**Dialga released Zero who came charging at Arceus changed the colors to magenta. Zero unsheathed a knife but was halted short. Arceus used Confusion to stop Zero and he was frozen stiff.

"Wh- What have you done to me?" Ash came forward to advise Zero that he was not getting a slap on the wrist.

"This is for endangering everything," he roared. "You've endangered the humans, the Pokémon and the worlds! Not even Newton can bail you out of this mess you made!" Arceus concentrated before he turned Zero into a ball of light. Quickly, he disappeared into the air, his final destination only known to Arceus. Speaking of, it turned to Ash, not willing to deliver the same punishment as Zero.

"_**Why is it that you're located in the wrong place at the right time, young trainer?" **_it joked. Ash itched the back of his head as if he didn't know how to answer.

"Like I know when trouble happens." Perhaps but he does find ways to resolve it. "Besides, I came to the Reverse World to rescue the princess here." Arceus smiled to accept Ash's reasoning.

"I was taken by Zero for no apparent reason except to force Sir Ash's hand for some ordinance or another involving Giratina," Salvia addressed. "Although, I do deserve some of the blame by tricking Sir Ash by dressing as Lady Dawn and...well..." Enough said, Arceus scoffed a chuckle. It was humored.

"_**The best results come at the meeting of Ash," **_it promised. **_"He will protect those who are deemed important. Though for him to protect a kingdom's heir is rare since his main concern would be with Pokémon." _**Ash shot a look at the Pokémon minus Carnivine who was returning to James. Arceus wasn't around when Ash restored their strength.

"Actually, I did provide support for them," he grinned. Turning back to Arceus, Ash had one thing on his mind at the moment: returning back to the Pokémon World. "Anyway, all we need to return to the surface." Arceus acknowledged their wish to get back to Gracidea. He was thinking that Brock, Dawn and Freesia were worried about the two.

"_**Very well. Giratina can return you back home. And Ash?" **_What could the Alpha Pokémon want now? **_"Thank you...for protecting us." _**Just a simple thanks. Ash and Salvia bowed before boarding the Reverse World's guardian for the ride and recalled his Pokémon . With one mighty roar, a vortex had opened up back out into the normal world The group entered the vortex before emerging out the other side with Brock, Dawn and Freesia fast approaching. Giratina converted itself to land form and rested as Ash and Salvia hopped off.

"Ash!" Brock and Dawn called out. Ash and Salvia waived them all over, thankful that they're okay. When asked about the whereabouts of Zero, all Ash did was look to the sky and mention the judge and jury of a single Pokémon. All this excitement from today easily exhausted hero and his Pokémon, and the princess so the maid and butler allowed them to stay the night for the trainers to recover before heading back to Lake Valor. All the beds in the world at night couldn't rest the young hero. Same couldn't be said for the Pokémon, though. Perhaps it was the adrenaline from all that happened today with Zero and Salvia and the Reverse World. Whatever the reason, Ash couldn't sleep. He stepped out of the loaned room and into the foyer. Apparently, neither was the royal girl.

"All the excitement still on your mind, Sir Ash?" Salvia questioned. Ash turned to the princess wondering why _she's_ still up. Princesses need their beauty sleep too.

"Princess..." he stuttered. Salvia walked up to Ash with something on her mind. "Is something wrong?" Salvia hesitated to mention any issue that might upset Ash.

"I...I heard from Sir Brock that you still have to earn that last gym badge in Sunnyshore City but you still need to cheer for Lady Dawn in the Grand Festival fast approaching." Ash knew the ordeal. Volkner was repairing the tower.

"Volkner said that the tower's repair should be done by the time the Grand Festival ends." It would mean that Ash could do both but it still bothered Salvia.

"Well, the reason is that I want to have you stay here, after the Sinnoh Tournament and be my prince. It's...It's haplessly difficult for me to understand but...you're the only one who protected me when my life was in danger. You're the knight in shining armor and I've unwillingly became your damsel in distress. My heart has never wavered as much as it had these past few days but..." Ash began to figure out Salvia's difficulty in wanting to accept a commoner like Ash but he was there for her when she was in trouble whether it was the successful Draco Meteor or Zero's kidnapping.

"Princess...I don't think I can fulfill that spot. I- My quest is to be a Pokémon Master and there's still so much I have to see. I know that there are more regions I want to walk on, more trainers I want to battle and more Pokémon I want to capture and train. It's not that I don't like you...I just have so much to accomplish." Deep emotions and deep confessions. Salvia felt dejected but understood Ash's ongoing quest.

"I see. I guess I cannot force your hand to stay." Ash realized that he may have broken Salvia's heart by following his dream instead of being by her side. Then again, was he really one for romance? Yet Salvia had something else. "Perhaps if you desire, you can still become my prince and continue to journey around the world for more Pokémon." There's an idea. Ash never thought that he could still journey and be attached to Salvia.

"That wouldn't be a bad idea. I guess you can call on me if you're in trouble again." Salvia felt trusted that she could rely on Ash if any problems came up but instead of nodding, she kissed Ash on the lips...and didn't want to let go. Ash couldn't tell if this was an acceptance...or that she really, _really_ loved him. After some hours of sleep, he, Brock and Dawn and their Pokémon headed out to Lake Valor. Ash had a piece of jewelery on his ring finger: a pinkish-red ring with a sapphire gem. Did Salvia propose to marry him? Dawn thought so as she saw the ring.

"I didn't know you were into jewelery, Ash," she teased. "Did you and the princess do something while we were sleeping?" Ash's cheeks bled red in blushing embarrassment. They- They did?

"All we did was talk!" he strongly denied...somewhat. "She wanted me to be her prince. To be honest, I've started to understand what love means. I mean- Jenaro and Ariene for instance." Brock dipped his head in shame. Was that a girl he proposed to be his girlfriend?

"Lemme guess, one that Brock let go?" Dawn and Piplup had a laugh at the embarrassed expense of the breeder. "Although, Ash, you're better at getting girls to like you than Brock and yet you're not even trying to do it, it just happens." Uh oh! Could Ash be two-timing Salvia? Brock didn't care about Ash getting Salvia. It's the principle of the matter that Dawn pointed out. Was it that Ash did better to get women to befriend him? Was it Croagunk and any other Pokémon which prevented his advances? Either way, he was ashamed at all of it.

"Let's just get to Lake Valor before Brock decides to get away from all of us in humiliation."

("Yeah, he's already low enough,") Pikachu agreed. All proceeded to Lake Valor to the Grand Festival.

* * *

><p>(<em>Weeks later, sign in Kanto)<em>

Ash and Brock reached a fork on the path back on their home region. After Ash saved Salvia, he, Dawn and Brock proceeded to see Dawn compete in the Grand Festival which she lost in the Final Round against a rival by the name of Zoey. Then Ash defeated Volkner despite someone screwing around the Sunnyshore Tower again. Team Rocket never learns. Ash competed in the Sinnoh Tournament which was the Lily on the Valley Conference and ended up finishing in the Top Four, losing to a potential master in Tobias who had a Darkrai and a Latios. He was so fear, only Ash was able to defeat both of them while everyone else couldn't beat Darkrai. Despite the overwhelming loss, Ash was proud that he made it all the way to the Semifinals to begin with. On the way back to Twinleaf Town, Dawn got a notice that a modeling agency was interested in her and her Pokémon. It was also the last moment that Ash, Dawn and Brock chose separate paths.

"Well, I guess this is it," Brock said. He dropped the bags of souvenirs to shake Ash's hand as...Dawn? What's she doing here? What about that modeling agency?

"Yeah," Ash acknowledged. "Take care...Pokémon Doctor Brock." Brock chose to become a doctor for the Pokémon like Nurse Joy. Which one?

"You too...Pokémon Master Ash." Regardless of that crushing loss, Ash's dreams of mastery never diminished. They broke their shake before going their separate ways. "See ya." With that, they traveled their different roads. Dawn, if that was her, kept her low profile as she trailed Ash with Pikachu. As they traveled, they skipped across a stream vie the rocks. They made it look too easy. When Dawn tried the same thing...

"Ah!" she yelped. SPLASH! Rump, meet stream. Ash and Pikachu turned to the yelp spotting who they thought was still back at Twinleaf.

"Dawn?" he gulped as he ran to help her.

"I guess that's three." Three? The moment she said "three," Ash realized this wasn't Dawn. In short, she was out of place.

"Salvia?" The princess donned herself in Dawn's clothes again. "What are you doing out of the Gracidea Kingdom?" Salvia wiped her butt clear of the stream water and anything else.

"You're the only one I trust outside my butler and Freesia. After I saw the tournament, I disguised myself as Dawn and told Freesia that I sought travel to other lands. Of course, considering that you're by my side." She wanted to travel with Ash and Pikachu. For Ash, this was rather sudden. He just got back in his hometown and hadn't really focused on new adventures.

"Slow down, Princess. I was gonna see Prof. Oak and know if there are new areas to explore." Salvia relented, now knowing that Ash hadn't had a chance to exhaust his journey through Sinnoh. Ash wasn't quitting. He just needed to see new lands.

"What lands have you explored besides Sinnoh?"

"Here in Kanto, Johto, Hoenn and the Orange Archipelago." This was a problem Salvia noted.

"That's all the lands around here. I say we go meet this professor of yours and search for a new land together. Besides, a knight in shining armor is not without his damsel in distress." Realizing that the knight in shining armor referred to him with the addition of the damsel in distress being Salvia, Ash itched his cheek, unsure whether to go by her word or not. Pikachu thought a traveling partner wouldn't be so bad.

("Come on, Ash,") he teased. ("A traveling partner sounds like a good idea for the next adventure.") Pikachu wasn't referring Salvia as a princess but as a companion for the next travel.

"Pikachu doesn't see a problem and neither should I," Ash accepted. "Welcome aboard, Princess."

"Thank you, my knight," she cooed as she really let Ash have a wet one on the lips. Sensing a fall coming, Pikachu hightailed it to a tree and just as he predicted, Ash and Salvia fell to the ground, Salvia on top. While a new adventure seemed on the horizon, the sun of the recent adventure, the real sun and Ash's days of being single appeared to have set. Even Pikachu sighed in relief that Brock wasn't around to see it, just some Pidgies and Rattatas. It's like they never saw love with humans before.

("Let's hope they save the real adventure in the bedroom,") he huffed a sigh.


End file.
